It is well known that the lubrication of railway tracks extends the useful life of the railway track and the life of the wheels of railroad cars. Lubricants have also been applied railroad tracks to reduce the amount of noise which is emitted by the interaction of the wheels and the tracks.
Existing lubricating systems, however, apply lubricants to the track on a continuous basis which results in the uneven application of lubricant and the over lubrication of portions of the tracks near the dispensing nozzles. Over lubrication causes excess lubricant to accumulate on the ground and become an environmental hazard as well as being a waste of lubricant. Where the lubricant is intended to be applied to the gauge face of a track, over lubrication results in the transfer of the lubricant to the top of the rail and causes adhesion problems for locomotives what subsequently pass over the tracks.
The need for lubrication is greatest at curves because lateral forces are applied to the gauge face of the track by the side of the wheels as the train turns through the curve. The application of the lateral forces increases friction and wear, and the track of a curve wears far more rapidly than does straightaway track. Not only do the tracks wear more rapidly at curves, the lateral forces applied thereto from the wheels of the turning train can cause the rail to become loosened from the ties. As the rails become loosened, the gauge, or spacing between the rails, may widen or a rail may roll over, resulting in the derailment of a train.
There is need, therefore, for an improved system which will monitor the application of lubricant to the rail of a mainline track so as to avoid over lubrication. There is also a need for monitoring portions of the track, especially at curves, for evidence of track failure in the form of a change in the gauge width or in the angle of the track.